Appratus for installing and removing foils from paper making machines

ABSTRACT

A foil-gripping device attached laterally of a foil unit on the side of a paper making machine which includes a friction roller attached to a tube and support column and positioned to engage the underside of the drainage foil, and a pressure roller connected to the tube by hooked members and operable to apply pressure to the upper side of the drainage foil by a movable lever arm. A drive chain housed within the tube is connected to the friction roller and functions to turn the roller and thereby move the drainage foil laterally of the paper making machine when the pressure roller contacts the upper surface of the drainage foil.

United States Patent Woodward [151 3,657,067 [451 Apr. 18, 1972 [54] APPRATUS FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING FOILS FROM PAPER 1,880,687 10/1932 Berry ..l62/l99 Primary Examiner-4. Leon Bashore Assistant Examiner-Richard l-l. Tushin AtlomeyMas0n, Fenwick & Lawrence [57] ABSTRACT A foil-gripping device attached laterally of a foil unit on the side of a paper making machine which includes a friction roller attached to a tube and support column and positioned to engage the underside of the drainage foil, and a pressure roller connected to the tube by hooked members and operable to apply pressure to the upper side of the drainage foil by a movable lever arm. A drive chain housed within the tube is connected to the friction roller and functions to turn the roller and thereby move the drainage foil laterally of the paper making machine when the pressure roller contacts the upper surface of the drainage foil.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 18 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVEN'I'OR E mac KRONALD W0 0 ownao BY MQSW WJ APPRATUS F OR INSTALLING AND REMOVING FOILS FROM PAPER MAKING MACHINES The present invention relates to devices suitable for use in removing or installing drainage elements or foils of papermaking machines such as Fourdrinier machines.

In a Fourdrinier machine a suspension of fibres or papermaking stock is discharged onto a moving endless wire screen or Fourdrinier wire. The greater part of the water embodied in the paper-making stock drains through the Fourdrinier wire leaving most of the fibres on the wire in the form of a continuous felted or fibrous mat or web. Several developments have been made in the past relating to improved means for draining the water from the paper-making stock in such a way as to produce an even fibrous web and in such a way as to minimise wear on the Fourdrinier wire. One of the most successful of such developments comprises the provision of stationary drainage elements or foils which extend transversely across the paper making machine, i.e., in a direction at right angles to the direction of machine travel. The drainage elements have an acute angle leading or scraping edge, a fiat portion in contact with the wire, and a trailing portion diverging from the wire and so dimensioned and proportioned as to effect drainage from the web in a controlled manner and so produce uniform fibrous webs. Such drainage elements are described and claimed in Canadian Pat. No. 86,545 and developments on such elements are described in, for example, Canadian Pat. No. 717,289.

The drainage elements or foils described in Canadian Pat. 717,289 are dimensioned and constructed in order to facilitate the replacement or installation of the foil in the paper making machine. Such foils are supported on a T- shaped supporting rail, the foil bearing against the forming wire of the paper making machine and comprising a T-shaped recess which is adapted to receive the supporting rail, the supporting rail and the T-shaped recess being dimensioned so as to provide a clearance between the side edges of the T-shaped rail and the side wall of the recess to allow for relative movement between the foil and the rail in the machine direction while yet maintaining the angular relationship between the forming wire and the upper surface of the foil. Drainage foils of this type are thus adapted to be slid on and off supporting rails running transversely of the machine direction of the paper making machine. Because of the considerable length of such foils and their supporting rails, for example lengths of the order of 30 feet can be reached for foils having a width of 5 to 6 inches, or more, and because of the frictional engagement between the foil and the supporting rails, problems are encountered in installing the foils or in removing them from the paper making machine. Indeed the services of three or more men are sometimes needed to install or remove a long drainage foil of a paper making machine. Such demands on manpower are inefficient and, since it is desirable to be able to remove the foil during operation of the paper making machine, it would be advantageous to be able to install or remove the drainage foils utilizing the services of only one man.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device suitable for use in removing or installing drainage elements or foils which can be operated by only one person.

In accordance with the present invention, a device suitable for use in removing or installing drainage elements of a papermaking machine, the improvement of which comprises the combination of a rotatable friction means adapted frictionally to engage the underside of a drainage element; means cooperating with said rotatable friction means for rotating same; means adapted to cooperate with said rotatable friction means and to apply pressure to the upper side of the drainage element without damaging the upper side thereof whereby said rotatable friction means is brought into positive frictional engagement with the underside of the drainage element; and means for maintaining said device when in operation in predetermined fixed relationship with respect to a paper making machine for removal or installation of a drainage unit.

The devices of the invention will be described in more detail by reference to a specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line lI-ll of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line Ill-Ill of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line lV-lV of FIG. 3.

As illustrated in the drawings, one embodiment of the foil manipulating devices of the present invention comprises a unit indicated generally at l in which there is mounted a toothed grip or friction roller 2 adapted frictionally to engage the underside of a drainage foil 3 when brought into contact therewith. A second unit, indicated generally at 4, cooperates with unit 1 and comprises a pressure roller 5 provided with a covering 6 of rubber or other suitable resilient material and adapted to apply pressure to the upper side of the foil 3 without in any way marring or damaging the machined upper surface of the drainage element. The periphery of roller 2 is suitably toothed or knurled to provide adequate frictional contact with the underside of foil 3 upon the application of pressure to the upper side of foil 3 by means of pressure roller 5 Unit 1 comprises a main or body portion 7 in the form of an elongated tube to which are rigidly attached end portions 8 and 9. The attachment of end portions 8 and 9 to tube 7 is by means of bolts 10 and 11 respectively, passing through apertures in the end portions 8 and 9 and through tube 7. As illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, end portion 8 is of generally U-shaped cross section whereas, as illustrated in FIG. 3, end portion 9 is generally cylindrical and has a circular cross section. The apertures housing bolts 10 and 11 are generally circular with the exception of apertures 12 in end portion 9 which are in the form of an elongated oval to allow for relative movement of end portion 9 with respect to tube 7 along the axis thereof. This is to allow for adjustment of the tension in an endless drive chain 13 housed within tube 7 and end portions 8 and9. 28

The tube 7 is provided with a support column 14 at a position intermediate end portions 8 and 9 and preferably at or near the centre of gravity of the unit 1. Support column 14 is attached rigidly to tube 7 by means of bolts 15 passing through apertures in a support portion 16 which in cross section is generally U-shaped and is adapted to engage in nesting relationship with the centre portion of tube 7. Support column 14 is provided at its lowest extremity with a pin 17 adapted to engage with a suitably dimensioned recess 18 in a horizontal flange or platfonn 19 located laterally of the foil unit of a paper making machine indicated generally at 20.

End portion 8 of unit 1 houses the friction roller 2 and is provided with a terminal projection 21 cooperating with a bracket 22 on the side of foil unit 20 and situated vertically above platform 19. The cooperation of projection 21 and bracket 22 is such that the left hand end, as illustrated in FIG. 1, of unit 1 is maintained in a predetermined relationship with respect to the foil unit 20. Friction roller 2 is mounted .on a horizontally disposed rotatable axle 23 itself mounted in rustless bearings or bushing 24 provided in vertically disposed side members 25 of end portion 8. Axle 23 has mounted thereon a chain sprocket 26 spaced apart from friction roller 2. Axle 23, sprocket 26 and roller 2 represent a composite whole and rotate in unitary fashion. Laterally projecting from side portions 25 of end portion 8 are the ends 27 of a rod 28. Ends 27 are externally threaded and capped with correspondingly internally threaded nuts 29. Nuts 29 are spaced apart from side portions 25 to allow the insertion therebetween of hooked portions 30 of unit 4 which are adapted to hook under and around the rod 28.

End portion 9 of unit 1 comprises a horizontally disposed rotatable axis 31 mounted in roller bearings 32 provided in end portion 9 from unit 1. Axle 31 carries a chain sprocket 33 mounted for rotation therewith in the generally cylindrical space 34 provided within end portion 9 and communicating with the generally cylindrical space within tube 7. Axle 31 is maintained in position with end portion 9 by means of nuts 35 threaded onto threaded portions provided at its ends. Intermediate one of said nuts 35 and the wall of the end portion 9 is mounted the arm 36 of a handle 37 provided for manual rotation of axle 31. The endless chain 13 is wound around sprockets 33 and 26 in a manner such that rotation of axle 31 about its axis causes rotation of axle 23 and friction roller 2 associated therewith. Mounted on the upper surface of end portion 9 is a block 38 adapted to provide support for a foil 3 moving with respect to unit 1. Block 38 is suitably made of a material which provides for a low coefficient of friction with a foil 3 moving over its upper surface. The block 38 may be fabricated as a T-section and so dimensioned as to cooperate with a T-shaped recess in the underside of a foil 3 in much the same way as a support rail of a paper-making machine cooperates with and supports a foil. Such an arrangement facilitates the manipulation of a foil by maintaining a foil in accurate alignment with its supporting rail.

Unit 4, as stated above, cooperates with unit 1 and comprises a pressure roller 5. Unit 4 comprises a body portion 39 in which is mounted an axle 40 retained in position by means of nuts 41 threaded onto threaded portions provided at its ends. Roller 5 is mounted for rotation on axle 40 by means of rustless roller bearings or bushing 42. Extending generally downwardly from body portion 39 of unit 4 are lateral hooked portions 30 adapted to engage, as described above, with rod 28 of unit 1. Body portion 39 also has extending therefrom a lever arm 43 which, as illustrated in FIG. 1, makes an obtuse angle with downwardly extending hooked portions 30. When units 1 and 4 are brought into conjunction in the manner described, lever arm 43 lies in substantially the same vertical plane as tube 7 and is disposed vertically thereabove as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In operation of the device the projection 21 on end portion 8 of unit 1 is brought into conjunction with bracket 22 on the side of foil unit and the pin 17 of support column 14 is located in recess 18 on platform 19 of foil unit 20. Bracket 22 and recess 18 are so disposed that when unit 1 is in place, friction roller 2 is situated directly in line with the support member or rail (not shown) of foil 3 provided on foil unit 20 and hence with the underside of foil 3, which is made to project a suitable distance, say six inches, from the unit 20 whereby it can be engaged by the device of the invention. Hooked portions 30 of unit 4 are then hooked under and around rod 28 of unit 1 and the covering 6 of pressure roller 5 brought into contact with the upper surface of a foil 3. A downward force is then applied to lever arm 43 about the fulcrum provided by the cooperation of hooked portions 30 and rod 28 and, as a result, a load is applied through pressure roller 5 such as to ensure good frictional contact between friction roller 2 and the underside of foil 3. Handle 37 is then turned about the axis of axle 31 causing rotation of axle 31 and the associated sprocket 33. The movement of the toothed drive chain 13 induced as a result of rotation of sprocket 33 causes simultaneous rotation of sprocket 26, associated axle 23 and friction roller 2. The rotation of friction roller 2 causes a foil 3 to move relative to the foil unit 20, the direction of travel depending upon the direction of rotation of handle 37 about the axis of axle 31. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, movement of handle 37 in a clockwise direction will cause the foil 3 to move away from foil unit 20 and enable the foil 3 to be readily removed from the unit 20. Movement of handle 37 in an anticlockwise direction will make possible the installation ofa foil 3 in the foil unit 20.

While in the illustrated embodiment pressure is applied to the upper side of a foil 3 by manually operating lever arm 43, it should be appreciated that the devices of the invention may comprise means adapted to apply pressure in other ways, for example by providing hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical pressure devices. Similarly, while the illustrated embodiment features a handle 37 and arm 36 which are rotated manually, the rotation of roller 2 may be brought about mechanically or electrically by providing a suitable motor or other driving means.

The devices of the invention provide for the ready installation and removal of drainage elements of paper making machines by a single operator. They are compact, suitably being no more than two feet in length, and can readily be installed and operated. Only simple modifications need be made to existing paper-making machines and foil units since, as indicated above, only a recess 18 and a bracket 22 need be provided opposite each foil or drainage element support rail. Ad-

1 5 justments in the position of the devices with respect to the foil units may be provided for if desired. Thus, adjustments in the vertical height of the tube 7 above platform 19 may be made by inserting a suitably dimensioned spacer 44 between column 14 and pin 17. A degree of horizontal adjustment may be provided by making the apertures in support portion 16 through which the bolts 15 pass in the form of elongated ovals similar to apertures 12 in end portion 9.

Iclaim:

1. In a device suitable for use in combination with a papermaking machine in removing or installing a drainage element of said paper-making machine, the improvement which comprises the combination of:

a. a rotatable friction means mounted adjacent said drainage elements in a position to frictionally engage an underside of said drainage element;

b. means cooperating with said rotatable friction means for rotating same;

c. means arranged to apply pressure to an upper side of said drainage element without damaging said upper side whereby said rotatable friction means is brought into positive frictional engagement with the underside of the drainage element; and

d. means for maintaining said device when in operation in predetermined fixed relationship with respect to said paper making machine for removal or installation of said drainage unit.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotatable friction means comprises a friction roller mounted for rotation about an axis which in use of the device is generally parallel to the machine direction of the paper-making machine.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the means for rotating the friction means comprises a first sprocket mounted for rotation on the axis of rotation of the friction means, a second sprocket mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the friction means, means for rotating said second sprocket about its axis, and an endless chain connecting said first and second sprockets in a manner such that rotation of said sprocket causes rotation of said first sprocket and the friction means associated therewith.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for applying pressure to the upper side of said drainage element comprises a pressure roller provided with a resilient covering.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the friction means comprises a first sprocket mounted for rotation on the axis of rotation of the friction means, a second sprocket mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the friction means, means for rotating said second sprocket about its axis, and an endless chain connecting said first and second sprockets in a manner such that rotation of said second sprocket causes rotation of said first sprocket and the friction means associated therewith.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for applying pressure to the upper side of said drainage element comprises a pressure roller provided with a resilient covering.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotatable friction means is proportioned to cooperate with a longitudinal recess in the underside of a drainage element, whereby the element with a rotatable friction means, maintaining said rotatable friction means in predetermined fixed relationship with respect to the paper-making machine and rotating said friction means to move said drainage element with respect to the paper-making machine. 

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotatable friction means comprises a friction roller mounted for rotation about an axis which in use of the device is generally parallel to the machine direction of the paper-making machine.
 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the means for rotating the friction means comprises a first sprocket mounted for rotation on the axis of rotation of the friction means, a second sprocket mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the friction means, means for rotating said second sprocket about its axis, and an endless chain connecting said first and second sprockets in a manner such that rotation of said sprocket causes rotation of said first sprocket and the friction means associated therewith.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for applying pressure to the upper side of said drainage element comprises a pressure roller provided with a resilient covering.
 5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the friction means comprises a first sprocket mounted for rotation on the axis of rotation of the friction means, a second sprocket mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the friction means, means for rotating said second sprocket about its axis, and an endless chain connecting said first and second sprockets in a manner such that rotation of said second sprocket causes rotation of said first sprocket and the friction means associated therewith.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for applying pressure to the upper side of said drainage element comprises a pressure roller provided with a resilient covering.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotatable friction means is proportioned to cooperate with a longitudinal recess in the underside of a drainage element, whereby the drainage element can be accurately positioned during installation.
 8. A method of installing or removing a drainage element of a paper-making machine in a cross-machine direction which comprises applying pressure to an upper side of said drainage element, frictionally engaging the underside of the drainage element with a rotatable friction means, maintaining said rotatable friction means in predetermined fixed relationship with respect to the paper-making machine and rotating said friction means to move said drainage element with respect to the paper-making machine. 